Clarksville crowd gathers to pray for Ferguson

Michael Wheeler gathers with others at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Wednesday to pray for peace in Ferguson, Missouri, and Clarksville.
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CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Wind kept the candles from lighting, but stormy weather couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd that gathered at St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Wednesday to pray for peace in Ferguson, Missouri, and Clarksville.

Bishop Alvin Miller Sr. led about 50 people in prayer outside the Clarksville church 11 days after a white police officer shot and killed an unarmed 18-year-old black man in the suburb north of St. Louis.

The racial unrest that shooting spawned isn't confined to Ferguson, but has spread across the United States, Miller said. He said it was important for him to pray because Clarksville isn't immune to racism or violence, and what happened there in Missouri could happen here.

"We are mainly doing this because of the fact that this incident has touched all of us in some way," Miller said.

He said that as a black man with sons and grandsons, he is concerned about the number of black men killed by police officers, security guards and vigilantes every year.

"This was a very egregious act," Miller said. "He was a boy and (Wilson) unloaded a clip on this 18-year-old. I'm from the projects, I'm from the ghetto, and where I'm from, that is called execution-style murder."

That shooting has led to protests, violence, and clashes between civilians and police in Missouri.

Miller said prayer is stronger than weapons, and that people of all races should be speaking out against what's happened and asking God for justice and peace.

"Ferguson, Missouri, is just a snapshot of what is going on in America," he said.

Not only did the group pray for Ferguson and Clarksville, but for families, the military, churches, government leaders and trouble spots around the globe. They sang two favorite civil rights songs and held unlit candles aloft beneath dark storm clouds.

Courtney Stanford of Clarksville said she participated in the vigil because she feels not only for Brown's family but because she recently lost two friends in Clarksville to violence. The men were shot to death earlier this month in two separate shootings, and no arrests have been made.

"We live in a crazy world, and prayer is the only thing that can make it right," she said.

Mary Bracey lives in Clarksville now but is from St. Louis, and feels especially close to what is happening there.

"What we did tonight was what was in my heart to do," she said.

She said the songs soothed her soul and thinks singing and prayers could "help stop the fury" in Ferguson.

Jourdyn Wideman said what she took away from the prayer vigil was hope.

"I believe we are a people who believe prayer fixes things," she said. "To come together like this, it's powerful and gives us hope."